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Joyce Theriault Howell, July 6, 2011, in Robbinston, Maine, at 86. She was a housewife and mother who was active in her church, the historical society, and the local chapter of the Audubon Society. Survivors include her children, Janet and Franklin, two grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and three siblings.
Dana I. Robinson, Sept. 17, 2011, in Portland, Maine, at 88. He served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He had a lifelong interest in bettering U.S.-China relations; his job in the defense field and electronics industry allowed him to travel and live around the world, including many years in China. He was an avid tennis player and developed a passion for golf late in life. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Harriet Nourse Robinson ’47. Survivors include three sons, Steven, Davis, and Timothy, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Harriet Nourse Robinson, Aug. 15, 2011, in Concord, N.H., at 85. She was a homemaker and mother who worked retail jobs. In the mid-1990s she and her husband moved to China, where she taught English, studied Chinese, and served with the International Newcomers Network. She enjoyed knitting and cooking and was deemed a great storyteller. She was predeceased by father, Newton Nourse ’19. Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Dana Robinson ’47 (who died Sept. 17), three sons, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a sister, Frances Nourse Johnston ’49, and nephews and nieces, including Judith Stanley Horn ’65.
Marjorie Day Weeks, July 8, 2011, in Gorham, Maine, at 94. She was a housewife and mother but also did some teaching. Active in women’s organizations, she belonged to a literary union, AAUW, and the League of Women Voters. Books, music, and gardening were her passions. Survivors include four children, Marsha, Steven, Susan, and Amy, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Albert K. Sawyer, Aug. 12, 2011, in Wilton, Maine, at 92. He served in the Army during World War II, after which he earned a master’s in chemistry from the University of Maine. He taught chemistry at the University of New Hampshire for 36 years, was a judge at state science fairs, and taught workshops for high school teachers. He played the piano and organ, gardened, researched genealogy, and collected books. Survivors include his children, Kathryn, Albert Jr., Tom, and Dave, one grandson, two great-grandsons, and five siblings.
Muriel Lydia Farnham Johnson, Oct. 12, 2011, in Belgrade Lakes, Maine, at 92. A mother and homemaker, she also ran Brass Knocker Gift Shops in Belgrade Lakes and Boca Raton, Fla. The gift shop in Maine was open from 1948 to 2011. She was active with her church, professional women’s clubs, the Chamber of Commerce, and the historical society. She was predeceased by her brother, Frank Farnham ’40. Survivors include her children, Cary, Carol ’72, and Christopher, two granddaughters, a sister, Lucille Farnham Sturtevant ’49, and nephews and nieces including Dawn Farnham ’67.
Ruth Ramsdell Elfstrom, June 12, 2011, in Wheaton, Ill., at 99. She taught English literature and was dean of women at Lee (Maine) Academy and was also a saleswoman in Chicago for 10 years. She studied pipe organ at the American Conservatory of Music and was an organist and choir director at two churches in Chicago. She also gave private lessons in piano and violin. Survivors include her daughters, Debra Costas and Judith De Poe, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Muriel Walker Dubuc, Aug. 23, 2011, in Winter Park, Fla., at 98. She was a recruiter with the Coast Guard in the early 1940s and stayed active with the reserves, retiring as a commander. She earned a master’s from the University of Chicago and, while moving around with her Army husband, taught English in military schools overseas. She also taught in Maine when they returned in 1966. During retirement in Florida, she taught tai chi, line dancing, and bridge, stayed active with the DAR and Mayflower Society, and played golf. She and her husband established a scholarship fund at Colby. She was predeceased by her mother, Eva LaCasce Walker 1911. Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Beulah Fenderson Smith, June 29, 2011, in Kittery, Maine, at 96. Along with her husband, she owned and operated the Elmere Campground in Kennebunk, Maine. She was also a poet and wrote the column “Touchtone” for the York County Coast Star. Predeceased by her husband, Robert Smith ’37, she is survived by four children, Kaaren, Susan, Daniel, and Stephen.
Norman R. Dow Jr. Aug. 21, 2011, in Readfield, Maine, at 97. He served with the Army during World War II as an occupational counselor and then worked for the Social Security Administration. He loved horses and worked at local racetracks, first as race secretary and then as presiding judge. Survivors include his daughter, Susan.
Mary Fairbanks Haskell, Oct. 21, 2011, in Scarborough, Maine, at 95. A mother and homemaker, she was also a nursery school teacher who became the first director of the Manchester, Conn., Project Head Start. She was an avid card player and a world traveler. Predeceased by her husband of 69 years, J. Robert Haskell ’37, she is survived by her sons, John, David ’65, Robertson ’72, and Richard, three grandsons, and three great-grandsons.
